Raluca Zagura
The author of this page is Raluca Zagura, a Certified Hand in Hand Parenting Coach. You can read more about her here.
-
The Sibling Solution to Stress-Free Holidays – FREE Masterclass
Monday, 11 December, 2023 – 12:00 pm GMT Join me in this FREE Masterclass for parents and caregivers of multiple children who want to enjoy squabble-free and bickering-free holidays. “The Sibling Solution to Stress-Free Holidays” is for parents and caregivers who want a conscious and peaceful parenting approach that works, one that is gentle, loving, respectful and evidence-based. Dear parents and caregivers, Are you dreading the holidays because you know your children’s squabbles will get on your nerves? Do you feel like running away or hiding under a blanket every time they start fighting? Are you tired of being a referee or a judge, bringing ‘justice’ to situations? Do you…
-
Starter Class with Raluca Zagura
Are you ready to gain a deeper understanding of how we can parent so that we build closer relationships based on respect and connection, raise emotionally aware and resilient children, and build support for ourselves and heal past hurts? This autumn, join a 6-week Starter Class with Raluca Zagura and dive into: Evidence-based parenting strategies you can use to parent without harsh punishments or yelling – even when your child is strong-willed, defiant, or explosive, or has frequent tantrums or separation anxiety. The brain science behind what drives your child’s off-track behaviour, why connection-based parenting works in line with your child’s social and emotional needs and why traditional parenting methods…
-
How to support a child through their sadness
Supporting children through their sadness can be challenging. It is often hard to hear our sweet child say ‘‘I’m sad my friend is moving away” or “I’m sad because a kid at school didn’t want to play with me”. Words like “I’m sad the holiday is over” or “I’m sad my favourite teacher is retiring” can be difficult to hear. Please note: the following article does not address prolonged sadness And it sometimes happens that when our child comes to us saying ‘I’m sad that…’, we often ‘but’ them, saying things like: ‘I know, BUT you’re gonna visit your friend next month’ when their friend is moving away. ‘I see,…
-
How to support children overcome their fear of dogs
Fear of dogs can keep our children safe. And it can also prevent them from enjoying life, visiting family members, or playing in the park. Luckily, there are things we can do to support children overcome their fear. In the previous article on the topic we talked about how we can use play to help our children conquer their fear through giggles and laughter. In this article we will talk about how we can use listening to support our children release the fear through crying, sweating, or trembling. What is ‘the edge of the fear’? I want to start by introducing a term used by psychologist Lawrence Cohen in his book, ‘Playful…
-
How to use play to help your child overcome the fear of dogs
Regardless of how cute and fluffy, friendly or playful, dogs can be, children can develop a fear of dogs that can hold them back from visiting friends or going to the park. And one thing you can do is use play to help your child overcome their fear of dogs. Have you ever seen your child hiding behind your leg as a dog walks by? Or maybe you have noticed them becoming very alert when a dog is in sight. At times they’re just taking a step back as a puppy approaches, trying to keep their distance. Maybe they’re avoiding or are reluctant about visiting a family member who is…
-
Tips for Sibling Harmony during the spring holiday – FREE webinar
Wednesday, 30 March 2022, at 9:30am GMT+1 Join me in a free 1-hour webinar for parents and caregivers of multiple children who want to enjoy squabble-free and bickering-free spring holidays. This webinar is for parents and caregivers who want a conscious and peaceful parenting approach that works, one that is gentle, loving, respectful and science-based. Dear parents and caregivers, Are you dreading the spring holidays because you know your children’s squabbles will get on your nerves? Do you feel like running away or hiding under a blanket every time they start fighting? Are you tired of being a referee or a judge, bringing ‘justice’ to situations? Do you yearn for…
-
How to play and boost the connection with your kids while lying down
We all need a list of games to play with our kids while lying down, because… We’ve had such a busy day of work, regardless of what the work involved. It’s late in the afternoon and all we want to do is crash on the bed or sit on the sofa with our feet up. And that’s when we hear ‘Play with me!’. Or we’ve just been away for a few days, be it on a job trip or medical intervention, and we now feel drained. We want and need to rest, but we are alone with the kids and they’ve missed us, so they run to us, asking ‘Can…
-
30+ Advent Calendar Non-candy Ideas for Kids of any age
An advent calendar is a really fun way to make waiting for Santa a bit easier. Every year, my kids are now counting the days until we put up the Advent calendar that will then help them count down the days until Christmas! Each year on the 30th of November, we get the felt reindeer out (as I’ve never bought a chocolate or toy advent calendar). Each evening of the 24 days of December I cut out a piece of paper, roll it up and place it in a calendar pocket. On some days I might also add a little crafting kit or light up sticks, but usually, it’s just…
-
What does hitting children actually teach them?
Spanking or hitting is a tool that has been used for generations. Even if in some countries it is now illegal, it is still used worldwide with the hope of teaching children ‘a lesson’ of safety, obedience, good manners, self-control and so on. But what do children feel and really learn when they are hit by their parents/caregivers? “Hitting a child doesn’t teach them that the road or stove or the outlet isn’t safe. It teaches them that the person hitting them isn’t safe.” – L. R. Knost When the child is hurt by the person to whom they should run for safety, they get stuck: ‘My parent should keep…
-
How to support children towards toy minimalism?
Toy minimalism is a decision, it requires thought and intention. It also has quite a few benefits for the children, you can read about them here. So, what can we do to support our children towards toy minimalism and where do we start? Let’s talk about four aspects to consider and how addressing them might help. The space The “space” idea we talked about in the post “Toy minimalism – 4 easy steps to reduce the toy clutter with the kids” will help tremendously with keeping toys to a minimum. The wishlist Going shopping with kids in a shop that has toys is a scenario that might frighten parents and for…
